Traffic signal



L. J. ORENDORF.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED mvzs, 1921.

Patented Feb. 7 1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- L. J. ORENDORF.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLLCATION FILED MAY 23.1921.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- LEE l I l I vii);

m a wwm miw LEE 3'. onmrno'ar; or' MULvANE, KANSAS.

rnarrrc siormt.

Application med May 23,

To "all eohcm 'z'tmag/ concern:

B e it known that I, LE J. ORENDORF, a"

citizen of the United States, residin at Mulvane, in the county of Sumner and'gtate of Kansas, have invented certain new. and

, usefullmprovements inTrafiic Signals, of

' which the following is a specificatiomfref erence being had to the accompanying draw ings.

.The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a signal of this general character,particularly'mounted on the forw'ardand rear'ends of the left hand tender of an automobile, to be operated by a single actuator on the dash, to signal to the-crossing-policeman "and to the chauffeur of an automobile in the rear, whether or not it is the intenti'on to turn-to the right or the left, stop, or to back-up.

Another purpose emi'bodies a signaling box, which not only maybe used for signal-- ing the intentionof the chauffeur as to the direction of the automobile,-but also acts as a Searchlight on the forward or rear end of the automobile, to permit the chauffeur to be ableto back out of dark driveways-at night; said'signaling boX also acts as a danger light at the frontand rear when the auto-- mobile is parked and the headlights are out oforder." q

Still anotherpurpose is the provisionof 1 a signal which acts as a taillight, and wherewhen such identification is required.

in the movable chartffor signaling direations, also contains identification data, tor identifying the owner ofthe automobile,

A further purpose consists in the provision of a pair of signals for use' on the forward and-rear endsaof the left handfender, acting to gauge the distance between two automobiles when passing on narrow roadways; For instance the locations of the signals on the forjwardand rear ends ofthe lei'tha'nd' tender, and being that whentwo automobiles are passing, the left hand sides of the automobiles are adj acent,.it enables the chauffeur of both machines, to-gauge the distance between them in-passing, particularly owing to locationof the rays of from the signals 7 light emanating A still further purpose embodies the proof the automobile at the rear.

Specificati on o'f Lettersliatent. v n 7,1922,

1921. Serial no. 471,555.

vision of a traffic signal apparatus, wherein.

the actuator on the dash of the automobile includes an indicator, 7 movable over the chart, [so that the chaufleur or the driver of the automobile, may*actuate the signals on the forward and rearflends of the left hand fender, correspondingly to the desired indication on the chart.

A'd-dit ionally the invention aims to provlde a mirroron therearifaceofthe forward signal so that ata glance the chauffeur or the driver of the auto'r'nobile may observe readily, asto whether or not the signalsjindicated by the; actuator have been understood or heeded by the'chaufi'eur or driver While the designand construction at presentillustrated and set forth is deemed pref erable,'it is obvious thatas. a result of a reduction of. the'invent on' to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible'of changes,'and the right to these. changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of 'what is claimed.

The invention comprises further .leatures and combination of parts, as will be'hereinafter set forth, shown in'the drawings and claimed.

In the draw1ngs:'

Figurel is a side view showing signals on the'forward and rear ends of an automobile,

and also showing an'aetuator for controlling the signals.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2+2of Figure 1, at a point tothe rear of the chart and through the spring roller which carries the chart, in order show the'construction. I

Figure 3 isa cross sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2, not only showing-the rollers carrying the chart, but also showing the construction whereby the rollers and the chart are operated. i

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the chart carried by the rollers.

Figure 5 is a face view of the indicator and the actuating means for the traffic signals.

line 6 6 of Figure 5. H

' Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on v I V Figure 7 is -a detail-view of the plate'lflf V Figure 9 is across sectional View of the Figure 8 is a detail view of. the plate 21.

' roller 13..

' 58 and the part 56.

. nate theforward and rear signals tobe car-E not the driver or chauffeur of the automobile at the rear has observed the signals given.

Each signal'is alike, and therefore comprises a casing 4, provided with a closure!) hingedly mounted on the casing 4 by means of the hinges 6. This closure 5 comprises a frame of the construction shown, and which is supplied with a transparent member or surface, preferably of glass 7, through which the readings on the. signal chart may. beread, by thetrafiic officer, as well as by the pedestrian. Y 7.

Secured on the inner face of one end 9 of the casing or housing is a plate 10 hav ing inclined slot bearings 11, which are designed to receive the round pintles 12 of the, corresponding. ends of the rollers 13 and 14, on which the signal chart 15 is operatively mounted. The roller 13 comprises a plain body through which a rod 16 engages." The roller 13 is solid throughout its length, and is considerably reinforced and strengthened by means of the heavy steel.

rod 16 which fits through the solid roller 13. One end of the roller 13'ha's a pinion or gear 19. The end of the rod or shaft 16 beyond the gear or pinion 19, is cylindrical, the

V .-.bend 23 formed in the plate 22.

same as the other pintle.

One end of the casing has riveted thereto :as at 20 a pair of spaced plates 21 and 22. These plates are spaced by means of the The square or rectangular pintle 24 is mounted in a correspondingly shaped bearing25 of the upper end of the plate 21, to hold the rod 26 from turning under the action of a spring of theroller 14. The rod 26 extends through the casing of the roller 14, so that the hollow roller may rotate around it. The end 27 of the rod rotates in a bearing 28 of one end of the hollow roller 14, and the round pintle 12 ofthe roller 14 is carried by the exterior face of the bearing 28 of the hollow roller 14. A coiled spring 30 is mounted in the hollow roller and in surrounding relation to the rod 26 and has one end attached at 31 to the rod, while its other end is attached-at 32 to the opposite end of the roller.

The wall of the roller 14 has a 10ngitudii'the" chauffeur of theautomobile. stance these signals comprise the words" and which is designed to receive the end edge 34 of a direction signal chart 15 This chart '15 hasdivided off spaces, which" in-.

clude the direction signals, tobe used by For innally extendinggr'oove 33formed therein,

f Back-up 36, Turn including an arrow pointing to the right as indicated at 37, a second word Turn includingfan arrow IIICllCiIt'GCl at 38, the word Stop 39, and

the usualllicensemumber 40. Below'the license number 18 suitable identificatmn data 41 as to the owner ofthe automobile. This chart has one end attached in the groovel33 and wound around the roller- 14, and its. other end is attached to the roller 13 by a similar groove 42. This chart 15 is normally x positioned so that the license number and theidentification data at all times when they chart'is not operated,"are disclosedthrough the glass of the door or closure.

However when the roller 13 is rotated, the ohart'is unreeled from theroller 14 against theaction of the spring 30', so as to disclose anyone of the other directions through the glass front of the door.

Journaled in bearings of the plates 21 and.

22 are the axially aligned pintles 43and 44 of the gear 45, which is locatedbetween the plates 21 and 22 as shown. This gear 45 'on' one face thereof has an annular pulleygroove 46, in which one. end 47 of a cable 43 1s attached. ciently around andinthe groove, so that a pull of the cable-corresponding to the distance the cable is wound on the pulley, and corresponding to the length ,of the chart 15', so that by'impartin g movement to thegear'45 (which meshes with the pinion or gear 19),

thechart maybe unreeled from the roller 14 against the action o'f'its spring '30, sufli ciently to baclcup. 1 a

The cable 48 passes down through an disclose the trafiic direction opening 49 in the bottom of the housing'orcasing, and passes through a flexible tube This cable is wound sufli' 5 ),'and .is connected to a pull ,bar'51 of a combined actuator and indicator carried :by the dash of the automobile. The cables from both of thedirection signals of the forward and rear ends of the left hand fender, are spliced togetheras at 52, so that a single actuator comprising a pull bar nay operate both; signals simultaneously, so as to disclose to theutrafiic officer in the front and" r the phauffeuron the automobile'in the rear the intention as to whether or not the chauf-; feur or driver of the automobile will turn 1 to the right or the left, stop, or baclcup.

The actuator or pull member is mounted in a guide of the dash of the automobile, and operates through an opening 53 of an indica- Y tor plate 54, which has thereon the words Stop, Left turn, Right turn and Backi 56 engages. I This steel stra-p is-;sufiicieiitlypliable to bend,' as it travels up thel slot,

when the pull bar or actuator 51 is'pulled" iscl'aimedasbeing useful is} f I '1. In a devicefor the purpose indicated, a signal apparatusucomprising a housingprovided with atransparent front, a pair out. This-steel strapf-i's connectedvto the .pull barasindicated M157, and its otherend is. attached to a pointer or indicator 58.

e 1 This pointer or indicator moves over the slot, and may be stoppedaccording to either one of the directions disclosed on the in dicator plate.= The actuator or pull mem-. ber. 51 has a handle 59, so that when "the pull member or actuator is moved outwardly, 7 the indicator will travel upwardly along the slot. Should the chauffeur desire to turn to the left theindicatormay be stopped opposite the words L-turn, indicating left turn, or if the chauffeur wants to turn to the right,

it may be stopped at R-turn, meaning right turn. Should the chauffeur desire to back-up Y the indicator may be stopped opposite the works Back-up on the indicator. Should the chauffeur wish to stop, the pull member or actuator may be moved to actuate the indicator opposite the word Stop. The pull member or actuator on its lower edge is provided with a plurality of notches 60,761, 62 and 63, and also a shoulder 64;, The shoulder 64 holds the actuator or pull member, so that the indicator is always in neutral position in dicating the license number and the identifi cation data, It will be noted that the notches are all angularly formed, and they correspond in number to the number of directions on the indicator plate, therefore the pull member or actuator maybe operated, so that the notch 60 may engage the lower edge of the opening. 53 of the indicator plate, then the indicator will be. held oppositethe word Stop. If the pullmember or actuator is pulled out, so that'the indicator will be op posite the words L-turn, then the notch 61 will: engage'the lower edge of the opening 53 of the indicator plate. Obviously it will be noted as to how the actuator may be held, when it is desired to give the directions right turn, or back-up. The indicator plate 5a is fastened on a dash as at 65.

The interiors of the casing of each direction signal is provided with one ormore e lectrio bulbs 66, which are connected by a suitable lead 67 to a battery 68. The electric bulbs are in turn connected by a lead 69, and in circuit with the battery'68 by a lead 70,-

' and by a lead 67 and the stationary contacts 71 and 7 2, which are engaged by the contact 7 3 of a switch member 74,".which may be operated inwardly for the purpose of closing the circuit, whereby the interiors of the signal casings or housings may be illuminated. The signal chart is designed to be construct ed of any suitable pliable transparent material, such as celluloid or the like, so that the rays of light may reflect through the chart,

'aiid' thereby the .traflic directions to: i oll d, las ightf lner-ht- 'day- 'the dark lettering upon the transparent chart will bei iSQernible -readily and easily.

' iThe invention having been set forth,

of supports arranged in perpendicular par-.

allelism and connectedtotheopposite ends of the housing adjacent the transparent front, one of said supports having a projection, a spring tensioned roller detachably mounted in the corresponding of said supports, a reeling roller mounted in the corresponding lower ends of said supports, a direction chart connected upper ends to and rolled about the spring tensioned roller and having one end connected to the reeling roller and adapted to travel from etachably saw.

one to the other whereby the directions on the chart are readable through the transparent front, said chart having a plurality "Of directionsections on its face exposed immediately to the rear of the transparent front, a gear carried by one end of the reeling roller, an operating master gear mounted on said projection vand meshing with the gear of the reeling roller and provided with a pulley approximating the diameter of the operating gear, and. actuating means operatively connected with the pulley for reelingthe chart from the spring I tensioned roller to the reeling roller, the

construction and arrangement of said gearingbeing such, whereby a partial movement" of the master operating gear will impart. movement to the reeling roller sufficient to.

move the'chart its full length, so that all the directions may appear consecutively through a the transparent front.

2. 'In a device for the purpose indicated,

a signal. apparatus comprising a housing" provided with a transparent front, a pair of supports arranged in perpendicular posi- ,tion at the ends of the housing adjacent said front, one of said supports having a projection, a spring tensioned roller mounted in Y ing roller, the chart receiving reeling roller having a pinion at one end, a supporting plate' connected to one of the supports, an actuating master gear mounted between the projection and said plate and meshing with said pinion, a pulley carried by and being substantially the same diameter as the actu-l ating master gear, an actuator operatively 1 connected to thelpulley, the construction and hind the transparent -;fr0nt, r and il'luminatarrangement of said gearing :i'n'd the pulley ing means in't he housing tojthe reai of the :beinglsuc'h that when-"the actuatorfispulled Chart. i1 1 j: 'its full extent and the mas'ti ai', gear enw In te'stimbnywhereof'l ljreuntotaflix t 7 partial rotation, thereicei'vi ng reeling rller s ign atur'e; V will revolve 'sufii cientlyto .cause the dii ec Itiqnstonthe ch aftto appear co'r i'secutivly'be- I it 

